


Bloodied Doll

by Cap_Sweet_And_Salty_Sadness



Series: Molochītis et Aureus [3]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Alternate Universe, DA Halloween Week, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-25
Updated: 2017-10-25
Packaged: 2019-01-23 00:49:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12494676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cap_Sweet_And_Salty_Sadness/pseuds/Cap_Sweet_And_Salty_Sadness
Summary: “What do you request my help for, dearest?” He asked. Beside him, Cullen had also peaked his head up in interest, looking concerned at Lavellan’s troubled expression.“I’ve received a report of a situation in Kirkwall about possible blood mages.”“You’d like me to investigate,” he deduced, her nod confirming it.





	Bloodied Doll

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for the DA Halloween on Tumblr.

“Dorian, I’m in need of your aid.”

Those were not words Dorian liked to hear first thing in the morning, while he was still nursing his coffee. Blame Cullen for encouraging him to morning training every few days, for the soldiers to get used to him just as him to them, to give everyone a sense of camaraderie. Even the Chargers would show up from time to time. Dorian accepted, partly to admire Cullen commanding his troops.

He looked up from his meal, still recovering from the combat he just had with a swordfighter a head taller than him and twice larger, and stared at the Inquisitor.

“What do you request my help for, dearest?” He asked. Beside him, Cullen had also peaked his head up in interest, looking concerned at Lavellan’s troubled expression.

“I’ve received a report of a situation in Kirkwall about possible blood mages.”

Dorian frowned. Kirkwall was well-known to be quite an effervescent city even to this day, with such a big mix of cultures that a crisis exploded on a regular basis over there, socially speaking but more often literally speaking.

“You’d like me to investigate,” he deduced, her nod confirming it.

“You are the best with situations like this.”

“Of course I am. When should I leave?”

Lavellan smiled, relieved that he accepted. Blood mages had been appearing here and there over the last year, some more dangerous than others, and usually either Dorian was sent to deal with them. That meant either talking them down to bring them back to the Inquisition, sending them to a Circle, or killing them, which he did only as a last dilemma. “As soon as possible. I’d like Cullen to accompany you, his knowledge of the city as well as his strategic mind and Templar abilities might be helpful.”

Dorian turned to Cullen, ready to refuse on his behalf, but Cullen didn’t seem to mind. “I can’t say that I missed that city, but I left it in good hands. Dorian and I will go together, Inquisitor.”

“Thank you, the both of you. Here’s the report. Read it, then prepare for your journey, while I’m stuck here dealing with yet another Orlesian drama.”

 

Dorian was always proved Cullen’s love for him when they traveled by sea. Even when he was green with seasickness and vomiting, Cullen would stay by his side, make sure he stayed hydrated and envelop him in his arms at night, even sweaty and probably smelling horrible. At least he was travelling with Captain Isabela, who invited them to the Hanged Man as soon as they arrived. They needed to report to Kirkwall’s Templar Knight-Commander first, but Dorian promised her to have a glass of wine with her later.

“Well, it smells the same as I remember,” Cullen commented as they made their way from the Docks to the Gallows. Dorian quirked an eyebrow.

“Like death and shite?”

“Precisely. This city has too much blood soaking the ground, trouble will always find its way here.”

“Hence the reason why we’re here,  _amatus._ ”

The Gallows were high, impressive buildings, meant to intimidate. The statues depicting tortured slaves weren’t warming up the place either.

“No wonder you turned mad here. This place reminds me of Tevinter. I hope the Inquisitor didn’t send us together for a romantic trip.”

“Hightown is more welcoming.” Cullen took his hand and kissed his knuckles with an adorable look, public display of affection be damned. Beside, his long hair hid most of his action. “Anywhere is, when you’re with me.”

Dorian smiled, flustered despite himself. “Smooth talker.”

The fortress felt ever colder inside the Templar hall, with faceless Templars guarding the place and stairs that were way too imposing for their purpose. The first pretty sight in this city, other than Cullen and himself, was Knight-Commander Carver Hawke greeting them when they entered his office. Worry had marked his other good-looking face, and for a second, Dorian asked himself if all Fereldans were this handsome.

“It’s good to see you again, sir.”

“Please, call me Cullen, I’m no longer your superior.”

Carver nodded, his blue eyes warm. Whatever they went through together, it was easy to figure out he looked up to him. He turned to Dorian, accessing him.

“Lord Pavus, I’ve heard much about you, saving the Inquisition and all.”

Dorian rolled his eyes. “Oh yes, what’s the latest version of the story now? I believe I escalated the wall of the fortress to stealth in, bare chested and only armed of my staff, wits and charms to defeat the whole of Corypheus’ minions.”

Carver snorted, his smile softening his face and making him appear more his age. “Actually, Cullen mentioned it in one of his letters, and the version I know of includes you stealing a Templar armor to free the prisoners.”

“Which is surprisingly the truth. Now, not that I don’t enjoy speaking of my numerous prowesses, we’re here about blood mages.”

Carver nodded, serious again. He sat down and gestured at them to do the same. “Yes. We recovered proofs in Darktown that indicate at least a few persons gathered to perform a ritual, and we suspect it involved blood magic.”

He retrieved a bag from a drawer and pushed it towards Dorian. “This is the object we found on the site.”

Dorian pulled at the strings to reveal a bloodied doll. “Was the blood dry when you found it?”

“Yes. The ritual had been done at least a day prior to us stumbling on it.”

The mage nodded. “It could either be the mages’ blood or their victim’s. I’ve read about dolls being used to either control or manipulate someone.”

He noticed a line of seams that seemed to have been the last one made. He took his dagger and carefully ripped them open. Inside was mostly stuffing, but he did find, carefully tied together, some pieces of hair. White hair.

Carver paled at the sight, which alarmed the other two. “Do you know who they might be targeting?” Cullen asked.

“Lots of people have white hair, and it could be a coincidence…”

“Carver, you wouldn’t react like this if it was nothing.”

He sighed. “I think it might my lover, Fenris.”

“Fenris? Since when?” Cullen repeated, surprised. He seemed to know who this person was.

Carver’s ears turned red. “We’ve been together for a few years.”

“Oooh, this is interesting,” Dorian cooed with a smile. “Coming here, I wasn’t aware I’d be let in the Knight-Commander’s latest love updates.”

Cullen took his hand. “Apologies for the intrusive questions. It’s just, the last time I heard about the two of you, you hated each other.”

Carver turned even redder, whatever memory Cullen’s words brought him. “It wasn’t hate.” He cleared his throat. “Fenris was attacked a week ago in his mansion by masked intruders, he successfully injured a few before they escaped.”

“Why would they do a ritual on him? Have you noticed any difference about his behaviour?”

“Not that I noticed.”

“Well, would it be possible to meet this Fenris? I can detect what spell they put on him and trace the magical signature back to its or their owner.”

Carver was hesitant. “Fenris has a peculiar past with mages and Tevinter, so meeting you might…”

Dorian smirked, seeing this as a challenge. “Don’t worry, I can be quite charming.”

Hightown was much different from the rest of the city they so far visited, cleaner and more regal looking. The buildings were still as tall; and the nobles, as corrupted, but it was nice change from the rest of the city. Dorian was already missing Skyhold.

He was weary of meeting Fenris, but he had his share of people uncomfortable around mages before, and he probably wouldn’t be the last. Only he was the one not expecting Fenris’ sight, white hair and tattoos all over his arms and down his throat, disappearing down the open collar of his tunic. On the other end, Fenris barely had any reaction at seeing them, Inquisition Sigil clearly visible on their armours. He seemed to be the kind of person who has seen a lot of things in their life and was difficult to surprise.

“Is there a problem?” Fenris asked Carver once he invited them in and introductions were made. He was slightly frowning, but it was out of concern and not out of fear.

“It’s about the attack from last week. We think recent traces of blood magic and that might be related.”

“Is there any mage who wishes you harm?”

There was a moment where Carver and Fenris looked at each other, silently communicating, before Fenris quietly sighed. “I’ll need wine for this.”

Learning about Fenris’ story wasn’t easy. Dorian couldn’t possibly imagine everything the ex-slave had gone through, and now the master who had tortured, controlled his every action and treated him like a pet, was now seeking him out every way he could.

“With your permission, I’d like to make identify what spell they might have inflicted on you. That way I can also connect to the magic signature and follow it back to its source.”

Fenris stared at Dorian, studying him. “Will it hurt?”

“It shouldn’t. I was told I instead have a soothing touch.” Cullen shifted beside him, and the mage didn’t need to turn to him to know he was blushing.

“My only condition is that I can accompany you.”

Carver groaned, but he was smiling. “You’re always ready to kill Magisters, aren’t you?”

Fenris cracked a smile, leaning against Carver’s taller frame. “You know me too well.”

Dorian shared a look with Cullen. “They used to not stand the sight of each other,” Cullen whispered, pleased with how things turned out for them, as was Dorian. Knowing how the white markings had been made infuriated him, and so he made sure to be as gentle as possible when he began probing in his head.

Fenris was holding Carver’s hand, but it didn’t harm him until he finally found the source of the spell, but even then he didn’t move, only gripped Carver more tightly. It was sleeping for the moment, waiting to be triggered, and when it did, whoever had put it there would be able to control him, maybe even render him vulnerable enough to be possessed. By who, Dorian was intending to discover.

“There, I have it.” He opened his hand and a small ball of purple light was sitting in it, attached to a string only visible to him.

“What does it do?” Fenris inquired, and as much as Dorian knew he wouldn’t like this, he wouldn’t keep him away from the truth either.

“It’s dormant for the moment, but they could control you.”

Fenris’ face closed, and he got up. “Let’s go.”

Fenris grabbed his broadsword, and they were off. Dorian followed the trail leading to what Cullen called Darktown.

“Carver and Fenris used to be part of this group of people who made themselves vigilantes of the city,” Cullen told him on the way. “They caused me many headaches before. I had to turn a blind eye on their doings most of the time, especially the fact one of them is a mage.”

“Anders? I heard about him before, he fights for mages’ rights.” Dorian replied.

Behind them, Carver and Fenris shared a look full of fondness.

“We’ll take care of this, and of Danarius.”

“All these years, and he still can’t show himself. He prefers sending his lackeys and stay hidden.”

They reached the Underground, the ugliest sight Dorian had yet to witness in Kirkwall.

“Everything is brown and beige here, and smells awful,” he complained, breathing through the mouth because this was too much. Other than for meeting new interesting people, he hadn’t enjoyed his vacations so far. “Ugh, at least we’re close.”

“I should permanently install patrols down here. Every time there’s a problem, it ends up being here,” Carver muttered. “That way we wouldn’t-“

A huge wall of ice erupted from the side, and only Dorian casting a Barrier on them prevented from turning into ice sculptures. Someone had walked into a trap, and lucky for them, they didn’t have a rogue to find and disarm them.

“Careful,” Fenris said without malice.

“It’s not like I did it on purpose,” Carver mumbled, and Dorian stifled a laugh. He was utterly charming.

They explored almost the entirety of the Underground before they finally stumbled on the group of mages wearing black capes in the middle of a ritual. How fitting. When they saw them, they immediately started casting a spell. So much for talking this through.

They were half a dozen, enough to cast together a powerful spell, and Dorian realized why when Fenris fell on his knees, breathing fast.

“Fenris, are you okay?” Carver yelled, going to his side in an attempt to defend him from the invisible foe.

Dorian threw a horror spell at one of them, but the barrier around them absorbed it.

“You have to Silence them,” Dorian yelled at Cullen while they were trying to break it, to no avail.

“But it’ll affect you,” he objected.

Dorian scoffed. “Just do it!”

Carver and Cullen combined forces and used their ability at the same time, the effect instantaneous. The mages wavered back, the barrier vanished, and the three warriors started fighting them.

Being Silenced gave nausea to Dorian every single time, no matter how many times Cullen and him had worked through it. He felt weak, hollow inside, all his magic gone. He knew it was temporary, that his mana would replenish in a matter of minutes, but it still felt like he would remain empty inside for the rest of his life. Luckily he brought his sword, and as soon as the nausea went away, he got up and helped the others.

Devoid of magic, the mages were easy to kill, except for one man Fenris had great pleasure to interrogate. He discovered they were a group of mages who wanted to impress Danarius by capturing his lost slave, attempting to capture him and bring him back to Tevinter.

It wasn’t long before his heart was ripped out of his chest.

“Well, this investigation was quick and easy,” Dorian commented as they made their way out of Darktown.

“Speak for yourself. I have about a dozen of those waiting on my desk,” Carver said. “I sometimes don’t know why I accepted to replace you, Cullen.”

“Oh?” Cullen said with a quick look at Dorian.

“We’re meeting with a friend at the Hanged Man, perhaps we could discuss of some of them there?”

“Eager to help?” Fenris asked. His white hair didn’t have a speck of blood in it, and yet he claimed he had not an ounce of magic in him.

Dorian shrugged. “We’re the Inquisition, our mission is to get rid of all blood mages, and I don’t mind getting my hands dirty if it’s to make sure a job is well done.” He paused. “But a bath would be nice first.”

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on tumblr!: [Captain-Amoruca](http://captain-amoruca.tumblr.com/)


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